Combined disk and roller bit



July 7, 1936. c. E. REED Y COMBINED DISK AND ROLLER BIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1M W y 5 r/ M Z7 4 M 01 2 4 9 l." m A 0 7 8 5 45 9 54 5 4. v w 5INVEN-ron CLARENCE E. REED.

BY y ATTORNEY July 7, 1936. c, E. REED 2,047,114

COMBINED DISK AND ROLLER BIT Filed May 1e, 195sl s sheetssheet 2INVEN-ron (2A/:ENCE E. R550.

, i BY Hf /QMONEY July 7, 1936. Q E, REED 2,047,114

COMBINED DISK AND ROLLER BIT Filed May 16, 1953 n ."5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR CLARENCE E @550.

Y ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE COMBINED DISK AND ROLLERBI'I Clarence E. Reed, Wichita, Kans., assignor to Chicago PneumaticTool Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationMay 1s, 1933, serial No. 671,325

22 Claims.

This invention relates to earth boring apparatus and more particularlyto a drill bit having improvements relating to disk cutters, rollercutters, and to a combination of both types of cutters.

` For drilling in comparatively soft earth formations, disk cuttersembody the advantage of more rapid penetration than the conventionalroller cutters, while the latter are generally more satisfactory forharder formations since they tend to pulverize harder material. It hasbeen found that the penetration of disky cutters can be increased byemploying them in combination with roller cutters adapted to cut anannular area surrounding the area cut by the disks. In such anarrangement the roller cutters maintain the gauge of the hole andrelieve a considerable portion of the wear on the disks, therebyprolonging their life. However, owing to the space taken up by theroller cutters, the problem presents itself of providing properl supportfor the disks and rollers which will withstand 'the heavy thrusts towhich the cutters are subjected.l Accordingly, it is an object of thisinvention to provide a cutter unit upon which roller and disk cuttersare mountedand supported against heavy thrusts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bit having means forsupporting disk or similar cutters against movement in the direction oftheir axes. In accordance with this object each disk is mounted upon aspindle having a portion engaging one face of the disk. The other faceof the disk is held against lateral movement by a disk spacer memberseparating two disks.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a combined diskand roller bit in which all the cutters are mounted upon a. carrier `member adapted to be inserted as a unit into a bit head. This object isobtained by providing the carrier with two spindle supporting portionsdening a substantially central recess in which the disk cutters aremounted. The spindles for supporting the roller cutters are mounted onthe out- A still further object of the invention is to` side of thespindlesupporting portions. ture of fthis carrier member resides in theshape of the supporting portions which permits the disk cutters to be`supported with their axes offset while the roller cutters have axes inthe same provide'an arrangementof cutting disks, cutter spindles andaspacer member between the disks..

which. arrangement is'adapted to4 be inserted as a unit into a carriermember. Inasmuch as the A fea? l spindles which support the disks aremovable laterally into the carrier member, they do not. interfere withthe roller cutters on the outside surface of the carrier. Y

Another feature of this invention resides. in an o arrangement fordelivering ushing fluid to the cutters and to the bottom of the hole inproximity to the cutters.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bit ofthecharacter described in which any or all of the cutters may beconveniently replaced.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear more clearlyfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and appended claims. In said drawings: Fig. l is a view partlyin elevation and partly in section of a portion of a bit headhavingcutters embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the bit shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bit head looking in the samedirection as Fig. 1 but drawn to a smaller scale and showing the carriermember in broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the bit head and carrier member looking inthe direction of the arrows 4 4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the carrier mem- 30 Fig. 6 is a centralsection of the carrier member looking in the direction of the arrows 6 6of Fig. 5; Fig.- 7 is a section in the same plane as Fig. 6 35 butlooking in the opposite direction and showing. the bit head as well asthe carrier member;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the carrier member; Fig. 9 is a centralsection of the carrier member looking in the direction of the arrows-9-'9, Fig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is an isometric view of the carrier member looking in thedirection of the arrow I0, Fig. 9. A Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 7,the bit head is shown at I0 having an internally threaded upper end forattachment to the drill pipe. It vhas a central bore Il for the downwardpassage vof flushing fluid. Ithas a recess or counterbore I2 in` itslower endv of 'substantially cylindrical kform to receive the uppercylindrical end I3 of the carrier member I4 of the cutter unit. Belowthe counterbore I2 thev recess flares outwardly and downwardly, theinclined walls of this ilaring recess being indicatedat I5.- Thedepending 55 walls I5 have downwardly open notches or bearing seats I6at their lower ends. The notches I6 are in line with each other or, inother words, their centers lie in the same vertical plane passingthrough the axis of the bit head from end to end thereof. The lowerportion of the recess defined by the walls I5 is open laterally of thebit head, while the upper portion of said recess is partially confinedby the lateral walls I1 (Fig. 3). These walls are cut away in steppedformation to receive the correspondingly shaped portions of the carriermember to be described presently. It will be noted from Fig. 4 that thebit head is longer than it is wide thereby providing a space between thelateral walls I1 and the side of the bore hole to permit the free upwardpassage of flushing uid and cuttings.

At its lower end the cylindrical portion I3 of the carrier member isjoined to a body portion IIB from which depend two spindle supportingportions I9 and 20. Enlargements 2l and 22 at the sides of the bitreinforce the connection between the spindle portion 20 and thc body.Lugs, arms, or Wings 23 and 24 project upwardly from similarenlargements for the portion i9 and serve as means for supporting thecarrier member in the bit head. These lugs and enlargements are receivedWithin the recesses in the walls I1 as shown in Fig. 3. 'Ihe cutter unitis held to the bit head by tapered bolts 25 passing through openings 26vin 4projections 21 of the bit head, on its lateral walls and throughopenings 28 in the lugs 23 and 24 of the carrier member, which lugs,when the parts are assembled, lie alongside the parts 21 of the bit head(see Fig. 1). The upper ends of the lugs and enlargements on the cutterunit do not bear upon the shoulders 29 and 30 on the lateral walls I1 ofthe bit head. The upthrust is `taken by the bolts 25 and the bit head.Upthrust is also taken by the central cylindrical portion I3 of thecutter unit which, as shown in Fig. 3, at its upper end bears upon thepacking ring 3l seated in the blt head.

The spindle supporting portions I9 and 20 of the carrier member arecomplementary to each other and are spaced to provide a central recess33. 'Ihe side walls of this recess are recessed further to provide seats34 for supporting the disk bit unit as will be described presently.These seat recesses are offset from each other in order that the axes ofthe discs may be mounted in offset relation near the center of the hole.As seen in Fig. 8, the portions I9 and 20 are irregular or eccentric inshape, their lower ends being oppositely offset along the edge of thecentral recess 33, while the peripheral faces of the two supportingportions I9 and 20 have bearing surfaces in line with each other andwith the axis of the bit. As'seen in Fig. 10, one of the enlargements2|, which reinforces the neck connecting the supporting portion 20 tothe body I8 of the carrier, is vertical, while the enlargement 22 has aninclined edge 36. A converse arrangement is presented in the case ofsupporting portion I9, which is offset in the opposite direction andjoined to the lug'24 along a vertical line and to the lug 23 along an-inclined edge 31 (see Fig. '1)

The seat recesses 34 receive disk bearing members 39. Each of thesebearing members comprises a. spindle portion 40. a flange 4 I and aprojection 42. 'The projections 42 are received within sockets 43 formedin a spacer member 44. The projections 42 and sockets 43 are offsetsimilarly to the seat recesses 34 (see Fig. 2). Disk cutters 45 aremounted upon the respective spindles 4I) between the disk spacer 44 andthe flanges 4 I Roller bearings may be interposed between the diskcutter and its associated bearing, if desired. It will be noted that theside faces of the disks are held against any axial movement by thespacer 44 and iianges 4I respectively. This is an important feature ofthe invention since it prevents the disk cutters from rocking orshifting their axes in response to lateral thrusts at the bottom of thehole which would ordinarily conne the cutters against rotation and causeexcessive wear on both the peripheral and inside surfaces of the cuttersas well as on the bearings.

The disk cutter assembly is removable from and insertable into thecarrier I4 as a unit. In assembly, the disks are mounted upon theirrespective spindles 40, and the latter are then inserted loosely intothe sockets 43 onthe spacer. The assembly of cutters, spindles, andspacer is then inserted as a unit into the cutter recess 33, the ilangesor thrust receiving portions 4I 4being seated into the seat recesses 34.The entire disk cutter assembly may then be welded in place, asindicated at 4e, Fig. ,2. The parts will then be in the position shownin Fig. 1, the spacer member being held against rotation on its axisowing to the eccentric recesses 43. To remove the disk cutter assembly,the weld 46 is iirst broken and then thel assembling process isreversed. It will be noted that the disk assembly may be both insertedand removed without disturbing or causing 9 the removal of the rollercutters.

The roller cutter assembly is similar in many respects to the rollercutter unit shown in applicants prior application, Serial No. 646,628,filed.

December 10, 1932. It comprises cutter spindles 41 supported by andseated in the sockets 35. The spindles are arranged in such relation asto form substantially an inverted arch-shaped structure. 'Ihe twospindles may be welded to the carrier member I4, as indicated at 48(Fig. 1) Each of the spindles 41 is provided with a flange 49 whichabuts the spindle supporting member I9 (or 20) around the edge of thesocket 35, and with a cylindrical extension 50 which is received by saidsocket. The flange 49, extension 50 and bearing portion 5I of thespindle are preferably integral, but it will be understood that they maybe formed of separate parts rigidly united to each other, if desired.Surrounding the spindles 41 are roller bearings` 52 upon which aremounted the roller cutters 53.

Each of the cutters 53 is provided on its peripheral surface withcutting teeth, the outer edges 54 of which are bevelled. The insidediameter of the cutter is bevelled at the edges 55 and 56 to cooperatewith their associated bearing surfaces to resist the lateral andvertical thrusts imposed upon the cutter. Cooperating with the edge 55on the cutter is the bevelled part of the surface on the flange 49. Thelowermost part of flange 49 engages the cutter edge 55 over a limitedarea in substantially a vertical plane, the area of en gagement beingapproximately at the same level as the point where the edge 54 engagesthe side of the bore hole. As a result of the arrangement justdescribed, the radial pressure of the bore hole against the cutter istransmitted to the ange 49 in a direction at right angles to theadjacent surface of the flange. Consequently the flange on the bearingmember resists the radial thrusts which might otherwise rock the cutter53 with respect to the axis of the spindle, thereby causing the cutterto become held against rotation. The ange 49 on the spindle 41 isprovided further with a radial surface 51 which engages the ends of therollers 52,

The bevelled edge 56 of the roller cutter cooperates with suitable meansfor taking thrusts in a vertical direction. Such means comprises abearing bushing 5B seated in notch I6 of the bit head and removablysecured to the latter as by a .press t. As shown in Fig. 7, the notch i6is of non-circular shape, and the bearing bushing 10 is of correspondingshape to prevent, rotation of the latter. The bearing bushing 58 has aflange 59 engaging the inclined wall l5 in the bit head.

The flange 59 has a bevelled surface and a radial surface similar toflange M9 previously described,

and the bevelled surface of the former engages the cooperating surface59 of the cutter 59 to prevent the cutter from rocking about its spindlewhen an upward force is exerted on the cutter.

, At the upper end of the central recess, the carrier member it isprovided with two arcuate grooves 69 and 9i receiving the upper ends ofthe respective cutting disks t5. The grooves are separated by areinforcing web 5t (see Fig. 9).

The present invention also comprises anvarrangement for conductingilushing fluid from the drill stem to both the roller cutters and thedisks.

The cylindrical part i9 of the carrier member has a centralbore 9dcommunicating with the bore it in the bit head and serving as a passagefor flushing fluid. The body portion |19 of the carrier is undercut at95 (Fig.` 9) above the roller `cutters and is provided with passages 69leading from the central bore lto the undercut portions, wherebyflushing fluid nay impinge directly upon the `roller cutters. Otherpassages 6l lead downwardly through the body I8 to the annular grooves60 and 6I to direct iushing fluid against the top of the disk cutters45. In addition to the passages 66 and 61 the carrier member is providedwith conduits 68 diverging from the web 52.

These conduits are arranged to discharge ushing fluid between the diskcutters and toward the bottom of the bore hole at the peripheral edgethereof. The relative positions of the passages v66, 61 and 68 areillustrated in Fig. 8.

' Ihe operation of the invention will be understood from the abovedescription. The disk cutters gouge rout the earth formation at thecenter ofthe hole, while the side roller cutters maintain the gauge ofthe hole and relieve the disks from wear. Convenient removal oi.'cuttings is provided by the dimensions of the bit head and by thepassages for directing flushing fluid against each of the cutters andalso directly upon the bottom of the hole. y l

When it is desired to replace any or all of the cutters, the bolts 25may be removed and the entire cutter unit withdrawn downwardly vfrom thebit head.

While the various features of the invention cooperate with each other,some of them may be used independently. For example,` the means forsupporting the disk cutters against thrusts may be employed toadvantageA in disk bits which do i not embody roller cutters.

The bearing recess in the carrier member, are claimed broadly inapplication Serial No. 593,650, led February 17, 1932. They are alsoclaimed, more specically, in application Serial No. 608,295, filed April29, 1932, which relates to a structure of this char- 5 acter in whichthe outer ends of the upwardly diverging spindles are received withindownwardly open notches in the bit head.

What is claimed is:

1. A roller bit comprising a bit head, a carrier 10 member seated in thebit head, said carrier having exteriorly thereof side roller cutters,the axes of which project toward the bit head axis, and disk cutters ina slot passing through said carrier and opening downwardly, the axes ofsaid disk 15 cutters being offset laterally from a vertical planethrough the bit head axis, all cutter axes being in parallel planes.

2. in combination, a bit head, a rcarrier secured thereto, rollercutters mounted exteriorly of said 20 carrier, and a disk cutter unitmounted in a recess in the lower end of said carrier, all cutter axesbeing in parallelplanes.

3. A carrier member mounting side roller cut'- ters inclined to the axisof the said member, disk 25 cutters between the side roller cutters, andcarrier walls between roller and disk cutters, all cutter axes being inparallel planes.

d. A drill bit comprising a head and a removable body member having arecess at its lower 30* end, one or more disk cutters disposed withinsaid recess and supported by the body, and a plurality of roller cuttersmounted upon spindles at the outside of the body member, said rollercutters being supported on inclined axes and 35.

Aing downwardly and having spindles projecting outwardly therefromsupporting roller cutters, L15

said recess being centrally disposed with respect to the bit axis, allcutters being lpositioned side by side in spaced relation.

6. A disk bit comprising a body or carrier member having at its lowerend two spaced spindle 50 supporting portions, the inner walls of whichdefine a recess therebetween, one or more cutter units mounted in saidrecess, the outer faces of said spindle supporting portions 4divergingdownwardly and having spindles projecting outwardly 55 therefromsupporting roller cutters, said recess being centrally disposed withrespect to the bit axis and said spindles having axesl in the same planeand at the same angle of inclination, all cutters being positioned sideby side in spaced 60 relation.

7. A carrier mounting rolling disk cutters in a recess on axes offsetlaterally from a radial plane, and having exteriorly thereof inclinedsides, and roller cutters mounted thereon, for cutting on the 65 bottomof the bore hole.

8. A carrier according to claim 7 having a web projecting downwardlybetween the disks and a uid passageway in said web.

9. A drill bit comprising a body or carrier member having a recess inits lower end, said recess being defined by vertical walls in which areformed seats, a cutter unit comprising a spindle with a cutter rotatablethereon, the axis of which is offset from the bit axis, said spindle andcutter being insertable together longitudinally of the bit head intosaid recess, said spindle being supported by means iitting into saidseats.

10. A drill bit comprising a body or carrier member having at its lowerend two spaced spindle supporting portions, the inner walls of whichdeine a recess, said walls being imperforate and having means forsupporting a cutter spindle in said recess, on an axis offset from thebit axis, and inclined spindles projecting outwardly from the outerwalls of said portions.

11. A disk bit comprising a body member, a pair of spindles supported insaid body member and having horizontal axes and adapted to support' diskcutters in parallel planes, a spacer member between said disks, saidspacer member being supported by said spindles, and side cutters mountedon inclined spindles for cutting on the bottom of the bore hole.

12. A disk bit comprising a body member having a recess at its lowerend, a pair of spindles in said recess having horizontal axes andadapted-to support disk cutters in parallel planes, a spacer memberbetween said disks, said spacer member being supported by said spindles,and side cutters mounted on inclined spindles for cutting on the bottomof the bore hole.

13. A disk cutter unit comprising disk cutters,

spindles therefor, a spacer member between thel disks, and thrustreceiving members adapted to be held in operating position by the wallsof a cutter recess, the thrust re'ceiving members, spindles and spacermember being intertting to be handled as a unit, and so mounted betweeninclined side cutters operating on the bottom of the bore hole that thedisks do not contact the sideof the bore hole.

14. A disk cutter unit according to claim 13 in combination with acarrier member having a recess for receiving said disk cutter unit andhaving seat recesses in the walls of the first-named recess.

15. A disk cutter unit according to claim 13 the axes of the diskcutters being staggered.

16. In an earth boring drill, a head and a body member, a pair of cutterspindles inclined to the axis of the drill and supported by said bodymember, a. cutter unit supported by the body member and positionedbetween the inclined spindles, said cutter unit comprising a pair ofspindles having their axes out of line, each of the last-mentionedspindles having mounted thereon a set of roller bearings and a diskcutter revolvable on said bearings, and a spacer member engaging theadjacent ends of the last-mentioned spindles and positioned between thedisk cutters to maintain them in spaced relation, all spindle axes,being in parallel planes.

17. In a well drilling bit, a carrier member having exteriorly thereof asocket adapted to receive a roller cutter spindle and having adownwardly open recess in the lower face of the carrier member, saidrecess being dened by two vertical walls on opposite sides of the bitaxis, the vertical walls of the recess having seat recesses therein, and

spindles supported by means within the respective seat recesses, thelast-mentioned spindles having parallel axes and being adapted tosupport roller cutters.

' 18. In an earth boring bit, a carrier member having exteriorly thereofspindles projecting upwardly and outwardly from the carrier member, aroller cutter on each of the spindles, said carrier member having at itslower end a downwardly open recess, a pair of spindles supported withinthe recess, a plurality of cutters rotatably mounted on saidlast-mentioned spindles, the latter having their respective axes out ofline and on oppositevsides of the bit -axis whereby saidlast-mentionedcutters are arranged to produce a scraping action on the bottom of thebore hole.

19. A drill bit comprising a body or carrier member having a recess inits lower end, a cutter assembly supported by said body within saidrecess and comprising a spindle having a cutter mounted thereon, theaxis of said cutter being displaced a substantial distance from the bitaxis whereby said cutter produces a scraping action on the bottom of thebore hole, said cutter assembly being insertable into and removable fromsaid recess as a unit and being supported by the walls of the recess,inclined spindles projecting' outwardly from the sides of the carriermember, and cutters mounted on said` last-mentioned spindles foroperating on the bottom of the hole.

20. A drill bit comprising a body or carrier member having at its lowerend two spaced spindle supporting portions, the inner walls of whichdefine a recess, said walls having seat recesses therein, a pair ofspindles having anges formed thereon which fit into said seat recessesfor supporting said pair of spindles, each of the latter having a cuttermounted thereon, said cutters having axes displaced a substantialdistance from.

the bit axis whereby said cutters produce a scraping action at thebottom of the hole.

21. A carrier having an upper body portion from which a lug projectslaterally, and having an enlargement from which a roller cutter supportprojects downwardly, a cutter supported by a spindle mounted in a recessin the exterior face of said support and end thrust receiving means atthe inner face of said support for mounting a roller cutter on aspindle, all cutters mounted on said carrier contacting the bottom ofthe bore hole, and all cutters having axes positioned in parallelplanes.

22. In combination a bit head, side cutters mounted on inclined spindleson said bit head for operating on the bottom of the hole, two diskcutters mounted intermediate the side cutters, all cutter axes being inparallel planes, a spacer member between the disk cutters and engagingthe inside face of one of the disk cutters, an end thrust receivingmember engaging the spacer member and the outside face of saidlast-mentioned disk cutter, said last-named member carrying a spindleportion on which the last-mentioned disk cutter is mounted.

CLARENCE E. REED.

